Holden man gets probation for Medicaid fraud

WORCESTER — A Holden man was placed on probation with a suspended jail sentence Monday, and ordered to make restitution, in an amount to be determined, for his role in defrauding the state's Medicaid program. He and his sister allegedly pocketed more than $93,000 paid for the care of her disabled son.

Daniel Keegan, 30, of 70 Elmwood Ave., Holden, pleaded guilty in Worcester Superior Court to larceny of more than $250 and medical assistance fraud. Judge Daniel M. Wrenn sentenced Mr. Keegan to 2 years in the House of Correction, but suspended the sentence for 5 years with probation.

As conditions of probation, Mr. Keegan was ordered not to work as a personal care attendant and to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a Sept. 30 restitution hearing.

Ms. Groff said an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud division of the attorney general's office showed that Ms. Keegan's disabled son was approved to receive subsidized personal care assistant services in 2007 and that Ms. Keegan, acting as a surrogate for her minor son, hired Mr. Keegan as his personal care attendant.

From November 2007 through October 2011, the siblings submitted fraudulent time sheets for services Mr. Keegan could not have provided, because he was living outside of Massachusetts and traveling extensively or had conflicting employment, according to the prosecutor.

After the money was deposited in Mr. Keegan's bank account, large sums were transferred to Ms. Keegan by check, Ms. Groff told the court. She said more than $93,000 of the $103,000 that MassHealth paid for services billed under Mr. Keegan's name was for work that he never performed.

Judge Wrenn told Mr. Keegan that he will be required to pay a minimum of $65 a month in restitution once the total amount of restitution is determined. At the end of his 5 years of probation, Mr. Keegan will be required to sign an agreement for judgment on the civil side of the court for whatever amount of restitution remains outstanding at that time, the judge said.

A Nov. 2 trial has been scheduled in Ms. Keegan's case, and she is due back in court Sept. 30 for a final pretrial conference.